Camp Lejeune Justice Act
For 35 years—between 1953 and 1987—nearly one million military service members, civilian workers, and their families lived on base, unknowingly drinking and bathing in water that was contaminated with toxins. Oil, petrol, industrial wastewater, and toxic chemicals (such as degreasers and solvents) were knowingly dumped into local storm drains by the U.S. government. Buried fuel tanks leaked into the drinking water supply. Chemicals flowed to the facility from an off-base dry-cleaning company, along with industrial solvents used nearby to clean military equipment.
In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency labeled the base as a “major polluter,” as the water was found to be laced with chemicals at levels that were 240 to 3400 times more than safety standards allow. Despite a 1974 base order requiring safe disposal of solvents, these chemicals were dumped and buried near base wells for years. Even after water contamination was identified in 1980, the pollution still continued. Government officials covered up this illegal dumping for years, and skirted attempts to reveal the truth.
If you or a family member lived there and have been diagnosed with a serious medical condition – such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, or other types of cancer – you may have the right to file a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit.
